Gratitude for Elections

November 9, 2018November 7, 2018 by Brian Kleber

I'm simultaneously joyful about the changes that came to the nation and to Pa and heartbroken for those of you around the country who have worked so damn hard to see change happen, only to be told, "Not yet."
Still you have ushered in the cusp, the last of a breath held before exhale, the final inches of the crest of a wave, the steepest climb of the bell curve. You are showing up to oppose the weight of entrenched injustice, and the scales are beginning to tip.
Momentum is mass X velocity, and there is more of both to come. I see you all and I admire you. We who are celebrating today will not ignore the dangers you'll continue to face in the next two to six years.
*Thanks to Ophelia Hu Kinney for allowing me to borrow her words for this blog post*

Ophelia managed to capture what I wanted so badly to put to words. Many of us where expecting a huge blue wave with these midterm elections. We came out in force in record numbers I might add. We proved that Texas isn't a red or blue state, but for the first time it has become a purple state. Many minorities and women were elected to positions which they are of the first for them. Colorado became the first state to elect an openly gay governor. The house switched control to the blue. We may have had a small blue wave but we had a huge rainbow wave and we saw record number of women elected and POC and of different faiths elected to government positions.

I for one am joyful at this because I live by the moto "Justice delayed is justice denied." Meaning that the oppression that my sisters, POC, and siblings from different faiths face is just as important as the oppression that I face as a transgender nonbinary queer person. Their liberation is my liberation, just as my liberation is theirs. We journey this path together and will continue to fight for one another.

This election has meant so much more to me with 45's desire to erase trans people and his military action against the caravan. This election was historic on so many levels and we must not lose sight of the progress that we made on November 6th. For those of my friends that tirelessly worked to change their area's from red to blue - I will continue to help you fight this idea that government only belongs to white, heterosexual, Christian men. Government is for everyone and is supposed to protect the rights of all they serve. We will help you breathe when you have lost your ability to breathe. We will help you carry the weight of the injustice you will continue to suffer because until you are free to be who the Divine created you to be NONE of us are truly free.